Bruny Island

Bruny Island is technically two islands, North Bruny and South Bruny, connected by a 5 kilometre isthmus of sand dunes called The Neck. The Truganini Lookout at the top of The Neck offers views over both halves of the island and is the most photographed spot.

The island has a small permanent population of around 700 people but draws thousands of visitors a day in summer. Its food and drink scene punches well above its weight: Bruny Island Cheese, Bruny Island Premium Wines, Get Shucked oysters, the Bruny Island Smokehouse, and the Bruny Island Honey Pot are all stops on the unofficial 'Bruny food trail'.

The island's wildlife is famous. South Bruny National Park has fairy penguin (little penguin) colonies, plus the rare white wallaby (a partly leucistic Bennetts wallaby found almost nowhere else). The cliffs of South Bruny include the iconic basalt columns of the Friars Sea Stacks and the Cape Bruny Lighthouse, the second oldest in Australia.

The Bruny Island Cruise, run from Adventure Bay, is a 3 hour wildlife boat trip along the south coast cliffs that frequently sees fur seals, dolphins, and (in season) humpback and southern right whales.

The ferry runs from Kettering, around 40 minutes south of Hobart. There are no fuel stations between the ferry terminal and the southern half of the island, so plan accordingly.